General Details

My Story

Go to Media Photos to see larger and full images of home page slide show03/13/08 Written by Robert D. (Bert) McManus (rmcman01@yahoo.com) WWW.PCNAWS.COM"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"

Rob was born on November 11, 1960 in Moberly, MO to Robert Earl and Lena Catherine Reynolds, both living in Kansas City, MO. After moving to Kansas City in 1962 he ived in the Foxwood subdivision, North of the River. He attended Big Shoal Elementary, Antioch Junior High and Winnetonka High School in Kansas City, MO. Rob was the older brother to Randy and Ryan Reynolds. Rob is survived by Randy Reynolds (brother), Jerri Reynolds (sister-in-law), Zachariah (nephew), Madeline (Niece) and Noel (nephew-deceased) all of White Plains, Maryland. Also Ryan Reynolds (brother), Heather Reynolds (sister-in-law) and Sydney (niece) of Kansas City, MO.

Rob's girlfriend of 10 years Wand Lin lived with him in Guangzhou, China. Wand Lin's friend, May Lyn intorduced them soon after Rob arrived in China. Rob loved her very much, provided for her and her daughter and treasured their relationship.

Rob lived with Pam Barber in his Gracemore home in Kansas City. They met at Shawver Price prior to Rob going to China. They were together for 5 years.

On May 21, 1983, Rob married Susan LeTorneau of Kansas City, MO. They were married at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Kansas City, MO. . Rob and Sue were across the hall neighbors at the AppleTree apartments in Gladstone, MO. They were together for 5 years.

Rob worked at World's of Fun in groundskeeping. He worked the Summer of 1977 and 78 were he made many lifelong freinds and rose to the Manager level of the rest of the "Groundsquirrels". His Senior year in High School he worked for Dolgin's in North Kansas City in the Warehouse. At age 18 he took employment at Shawver-Price Inc. (SPI) in North Kansas City, MO. He was an excellent Math and Drafting student and was recruited by the company for their Steel Detailing Training program.

Rob graduated High School in 1979 in the top 10% of his class. He was on Winnetonka's Basketball and Tennis team. Rob had a group of friends that he stayed in touch with back to the days of elementary school.

Rob worked for SPI which was later bought by Havens SPI for most of his career until 2005. In 1997 he was sent to Guangzhou, China to work in Havens office detailing steel fabrication projects for the growing skyline in Guangzhou. He returned to the states in 2004 after Havens steel was dissolved. He started his own steel detailing consulting firm called Steel Creations. While doing contract work in Kearney, MO he convinced his client that a strong construction market still existed in Guangzhou, China and they could benefit by opening their own field office there. Rob returned to Guangzhou in 2006 and opened an office for H&R Detailing. Opening the office meant dealing with the Chinese government, local vendors for office space and equipment and recruting the local talent. Rob spoke enough Mandarin Chinese to get the office up and running. In 2007, the H&R Detailing Field Office was bought by Technyx (www.technyx.ws/) , a division of CANAM based in Montreal, Canada.

Rob never had any children but loved kids. He always bought birthday presents for our kids and brought back soveniors from the Asis and from his travels in Europe. Rob was an uncle to a lot more children than his own nieces (Madeline and Sydney) and nephews (Zack and Noel).

Rob was a world ambassador of friendship. He made friends everywhere he went. Over the years he had a following of comradery from Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Thailand to Vietnam.

Rob was an avid golfer and belonged to the Masters Country Club in Guangzhou. Rob loved the Kansas City Chiefs and good tailgate party. He kept his season tickets even when he lived oveseas.

He had met people from all over the world who were working in China and created more lasting friendships. Rob had attended weddings of friends in Vietnam and relished being involved in the culture of such events. Rob spent vacation and Chinese New Year in nearby Bangkok, Pucket and Pataya Thailand. There he met the local Thai and expatriates from the all over the world and started another group of friends who made him feel at home and welcomed his return. Ned and Ott Hughes of Bangkok were close friends of Rob's and always had a place for Rob at the Silver Dollar.

His brother Ryan, Randy and myself left Kansas City, MO on Saturday, March 15, 2008 to go to Guangzhou, China. We are staying in Hong Kong tonight (Sunday, March 16, 2008) at the Sheraton Renaissance. After obtaining Visas in the morning we are heading to Guangzhou. Our objective here is to meet with Lee Dang and Don Lidberg (Rob's coworkers and long time friends in China) and settle his affairs in Guangzhou. We are having a visitation service in Tuesday so his Chinese friends, co-workers and girlfriend Wand Lin of 10 years can have some closure and know that he will arrive back to the states safe and sound. His body will be shipped to Hong Kong on Wednesday and an autopsy will be performed. When Rob ends up in the states an announcment will come out in the Kansas City Star and give details of his stateside funeral.